I'm Not In Japan. Mark Masai's Comment That Made Him Hero And Villain

On Friday evening, during the Presidential Round Table interview, one bold exchange of words caught the attention of Kenyans. Journalist Mark Masai was asking questions about Kenya's public debt when President Uhuru Kenyatta decided to take him head on. The President tried to pin him on the lack of expression of numbers like an economist. That's is when Mr Masai bit back,saying he was not in Japan.

In the wake of a ballooning public debt in the country, many have raised concerns on the amount of debt Kenya takes. Furthermore, what hurts most Kenyans is how the borrowed money is still lost to corruption.

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Comparing Japan To Kenya Is Illiteracy, Says Kenyan Economist

Kenyatta: When you talk of our debt, do you know what the debt of the Japanese Government is? (What is Japan's debt?)
Masai: I'm not really concerned about Japan's debt
Kenyatta: Do you know what the Kenyan debt is?
Masai: Yes
Kenyatta: What is it?
Masai : 4.5 trillion shillings
Kenyatta: No no. As a percentage of GDP. Talk like an economist
Masai: 56% of GDP
Kenyatta: What is Japan's debt?
Masai: I'm not in Japan, so I'm not concerned about Japan

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Here is the video as recorded by NTV Kenya;

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mark Masai differ on using a first world country's statistics when discussing Kenya's national debt. #PresidentialRoundTableKE pic.twitter.com/rwmKl4QlrS

— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) December 28, 2018

Kenyans took the discussion to twitter where Masai was painted as a hero by some and a villain by others;

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President Uhuru Kenyatta was right to compare both countries. If Japan with the kind of economy they have they are borrowing to almost 100% of their GDP,what about Kenya? Mark Masai was just rude! The important thing is how the funds borrowed are used!

— Jeff Ng'ang'a (@itsjeffnganga) December 28, 2018

uhuru just compared the economy of a first world nation to that of a third world corrupt looting nation and we are bashing @MarkMasai for venting a little frustration that we kenyans go through, WHAT IS WRONG WITH US!?

— 𝐉𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐍𝐲𝐨𝐢𝐤𝐞 (@jimmy_nyoike) December 28, 2018

Are you forgetting the President is an economist? Are you forgetting he has the best economic advisors around him ? What does mark maasai understand about GDP n debts?

— Joseph Peter (@mathengejp) December 28, 2018

Kudos mark maasai .The president can't be allowed to compare oranges with mangoes.What is the employment stat ,Wealth stat ,industrial capacity and GDH of Japan to kenya Japan is developed country while Kenya is 3rd tiers of sufferers of the world.Japan is 1 of our key donors .

— TIPster (@Bet_Pesa) December 28, 2018

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